The Smiths. Hmmm. I don't always get them. I love Johnny Marr's guitars. Morrisey's vocals and lyrics are great. Some songs are amazing. But I've never been what you would call a fan. I'm not sure what it is. All the ingredients are there: after all, it's not that far from Weller at his peak in The Jam and The Style Council to prime Smiths is it? I've known plenty of people who love The Smiths with a passion. There are countless bloggers who have praised them to the stars and back. So apologies for outing myself as somebody who isn't a fan.
I did like them initially. I bought What Difference Does It Make. And yes it had the original Terence Stamp sleeve. I've got one of the many best of compilations. I've listened to the proper albums inside out thanks to those people I knew I loved them.
But under the skin? No.
However there is a song and performance that I adore. It stands as one of my all time favourite recordings. And on a night when I might be seeing a Tory in charge of London a piece of beautiful melancholy by Morrisey/Marr seems kind of fitting.
Sandie Shaw - I Don't Owe You Anything
This was the b-side of her version of Hand In Glove. And, yes if you don't know this, that's The Smiths backing her. Man alive, Sandie sounds amazing on this. It really does make it sound like it's come from the soundtrack to some kitchen sink drama. I can almost see the foggy cobbled streets and dingy little flats. Cups of tea and toast. Winklepicker shoes and panda make up.
And the yearning: it's almost an instrument of it's own amidst the jangle.
Ahh.
And as something of a bonus here's her version of Jeane from the 12" of the Hand In Glove Single, plus her versions of a couple of 60s classics taken from her 1969 album Reviewing The Situation which Sandie produced herself. Told you I was into cover versions at the moment....My favourite here is the version of Sympathy For The Devil. How fast does that get? I dare you to try and dance to it!
Sandie Shaw - Jeane
Sandie Shaw - Lay Lady Lay
Sandie Shaw - Sympathy For The Devil
The Feel It Advent-ure 2024: Door 22
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And only this afternoon I was reaching my copy of the 'Hello Angel' LP down from the top cupboard and thinking...ooh, must upload this...
Davy H: we seem to be a little bit in sync at the moment. Scary!
I haven't heard Nothing Less Than Brilliant for years...
JC: The Smiths aren't a band I dislike - far from it in fact, but they never took me over like some of my faves did. I should have been the right age for them to be absolutely massive for me. And there really isn't a great deal between Weller, Morrisey and Kevin Rowland, even stylisticly. It just didn't happen. Kind of like going on a date with somebody that ticks all the boxes. Just not feeling that spark.
Sandie's version of the song on the other hand probably has a lot to do with my weakness for female vocals on tunes, so I can imagine myself the handsome moody guitarist who flirts with the singer on stage. ;)
And when I say 'one of my all time favourite recordings' I don't just mean The Smiths, I mean by anybody.
1984 though was a funny year...I stopped listening to the radio that year and started delving into the past via punk and the 60s. I got quite a bit of tunnel vision that actually stopped me listening to a lot of current bands.
At our wedding after the ceremony and signings we walked out to Sandie Shaw's 'Love Me Do' from Reviewing The Situation.
I wanted 'Bring Me Sunshine' - great words for a wedding I thought, but the idea got bounced
Simon - couldn't resist: 'NLTB' and more here.
PM: Bring Me Sunshine....would have been sorta cool...but I wouldn't have been able to resist the moves....not a good idea on a wedding day!
But perhaps a stout female relative could have obliged by doing the posh lady's 'I Love You All' bit at the end.
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